^2:14The Lord was furious with Israel³⁰ and handed them over to robbers who plundered them.³¹ He turned them over to³² their enemies who lived around them. They could not withstand their enemies’ attacks.³³^2:15Whenever they went out to fight,³⁴ the Lord did them harm,³⁵ just as he had warned and solemnly vowed he would do.³⁶ They suffered greatly.³⁷

^2:16The Lord raised up leaders³⁸ who delivered them from these robbers.³⁹^2:17But they did not obey⁴⁰ their leaders. Instead they prostituted themselves to other gods and worshiped⁴¹ them. They quickly turned aside from the path⁴² their ancestors⁴³ had walked. Their ancestors had obeyed the Lord’s commands, but they did not.⁴⁴^2:18When the Lord raised up leaders for them, the Lord was with each leader and delivered the people⁴⁵ from their enemies while the leader remained alive. The Lord felt sorry for them⁴⁶ when they cried out in agony because of what their harsh oppressors did to them.⁴⁷

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Footnotes

30 Or “The Lord’s anger burned [or “raged”] against Israel.”
31 Heb “robbers who robbed them.” (The verb שָׁסָה [shasah] appears twice in the verse.) The expression robbers who plundered them is a derogatory reference to the enemy nations, as the next line indicates.
32 Heb “sold them into the hands of.”
33 The word “attacks” is supplied in the translation both for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
34 The expression “to fight” is interpretive.
35 Heb “the Lord’s hand was against them for harm.”
36 Heb “just as he had said and just as he had sworn to them.”
37 Or “they experienced great distress.”
38 Or more traditionally, “judges” (also in vv. 17, 18 [3×], 19). Since these figures carried out more than a judicial function, also serving as rulers and (in several instances) as military commanders, the translation uses the term “leaders.”
39 Heb “and they delivered them from the hand of the ones robbing them.”
40 Or “did not listen to.”
41 Or “bowed before.”
42 Or “way [of life].”
43 Or “fathers.”
44 Heb “… walked, obeying the Lord’s commands. They did not do this.”
45 Heb “them”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
46 The phrase “for them” is supplied in the translation for clarity.
47 Heb “the ones oppressing them and afflicting them.” The synonyms “oppressing” and “afflicting” are joined together in the translation as “harsh oppressors” to emphasize the cruel character of their enemies.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he gave them over to plunderers, who plundered them. And he sold them into the hand of their surrounding enemies, so that they could no longer withstand their enemies. Whenever they marched out, the hand of the Lord was against them for harm, as the Lord had warned, and as the Lord had sworn to them. And they were in terrible distress.

Then the Lord raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those who plundered them. Yet they did not listen to their judges, for they whored after other gods and bowed down to them. They soon turned aside from the way in which their fathers had walked, who had obeyed the commandments of the Lord, and they did not do so. Whenever the Lord raised up judges for them, the Lord was with the judge, and he saved them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge. For the Lord was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who afflicted and oppressed them.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

In his anger against Israel the Lord gave them into the hands of raiders who plundered them. He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist. Whenever Israel went out to fight, the hand of the Lord was against them to defeat them, just as he had sworn to them. They were in great distress.

Then the Lord raised up judges, who saved them out of the hands of these raiders. Yet they would not listen to their judges but prostituted themselves to other gods and worshiped them. They quickly turned from the ways of their ancestors, who had been obedient to the Lord’s commands. Whenever the Lord raised up a judge for them, he was with the judge and saved them out of the hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived; for the Lord relented because of their groaning under those who oppressed and afflicted them.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

The Lord’s anger burned against Israel, and he handed them over to marauders who raided them. He sold them to the enemies around them, and they could no longer resist their enemies. Whenever the Israelites went out, the Lord was against them and brought disaster on them, just as he had promised and sworn to them. So they suffered greatly.

The Lord raised up judges, who saved them from the power of their marauders, but they did not listen to their judges. Instead, they prostituted themselves with other gods, bowing down to them. They quickly turned from the way of their ancestors, who had walked in obedience to the Lord’s commands. They did not do as their ancestors did. Whenever the Lord raised up a judge for the Israelites, the Lord was with him and saved the people from the power of their enemies while the judge was still alive. The Lord was moved to pity whenever they groaned because of those who were oppressing and afflicting them.

NLTNew Living Translation

This made the Lord burn with anger against Israel, so he handed them over to raiders who stole their possessions. He turned them over to their enemies all around, and they were no longer able to resist them. Every time Israel went out to battle, the Lord fought against them, causing them to be defeated, just as he had warned. And the people were in great distress.

Then the Lord raised up judges to rescue the Israelites from their attackers. Yet Israel did not listen to the judges but prostituted themselves by worshiping other gods. How quickly they turned away from the path of their ancestors, who had walked in obedience to the Lord’s commands.

Whenever the Lord raised up a judge over Israel, he was with that judge and rescued the people from their enemies throughout the judge’s lifetime. For the Lord took pity on his people, who were burdened by oppression and suffering.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

So the anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel, and he gave them into the hand of plunderers; and they plundered them, and he sold them into the hand of their enemies from all sides. They were unable to withstand their enemies any longer. Whenever they went out, the hand of Yahweh was against them to harm them, just as Yahweh warned, and just as Yahweh had sworn to them. And they were very distressed.

Then Yahweh raised up leaders, and they delivered them from the hand of their plunderers. But they did not listen to their leaders, but lusted after other gods and bowed down to them. They turned away quickly from the way that their ancestors went, who had obeyed the commandment of Yahweh; they did not do as their ancestors. And when Yahweh raised leaders for them, Yahweh was with the leader, and he delivered them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the leader, for Yahweh was moved by their groaning because of their persecutors and oppressors.

KJV 1900King James Version

And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies. Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the Lord was against them for evil, as the Lord had said, and as the Lord had sworn unto them: and they were greatly distressed. Nevertheless the Lord raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them. And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the Lord; but they did not so. And when the Lord raised them up judges, then the Lord was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented the Lord because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them.

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